Snow Fleas

The winter solstice was earlier this week (Dec. 22nd) and we are officially in Winter, but the temperatures are in the 50's and 60's, and we haven't had any measurable snow, just rain.

The recent rain has left small pools of water in my fields and I noticed what looked like clumps of grass seed floating in one of the pools.



While looking at the clump of "grass seeds", some of the "grass seeds" started to jump. Upon closer inspection, the "seeds" had six legs and were identified as Snow Fleas (Hypogastrura nivicola), a species of dark blue springtail. Snow fleas (springtail) are not actually fleas (or even technically insects). Unlike fleas, springtails are not parasites; they feed on decaying organic matter in the soil.